Window frame



Aug. 11, 1959 R. J. BUSH ET AL WINDOW FRAME Filed NOV. 14, 1955 Russell J. Bushben E. Sayre The/r Attorney \AK A o INVENTOR United States Patent This -invention-relates to windows and-more particularlyto double pane windowsandframess In" the construction 'of' buildings and other'structures having windows, it has become widespread practice toemploy metal frames for supporting the windows. To eliminatesthe'need for storm-wiridows and the attending inconvenience-ofinstallihg,' removing and storing storm windows, ithas also become a practice to employ permanentlydnstalled double pane windows. The panes of these Windows are i installed in' a spaced relation whereby therelatively high insulating'propertiesof the 'air occupying the space between-the panes is advantageously'utilized. When a double pane is supported within a metal frame, the advantages of the double pane are to some extent reduced by reason of the high heat transmission coeflicient of the metal frame.

It is an "object of the present invention to provide a double pane .window supported". within .a. metal frame wherein the frame comprises at least two spaced frame members whichare joined and held in spaced relation by an insulati'ngmember. The glass panes. are preferably attached. to one or both frame members by means of elastomeric sealing strips. The frame members arepreferably joined and supported in spaced relation by means of an insulating strip preferably of elastomeric material, having enlarged top and bottom portions which. are disposed respectively 'within'opposed partially closed channel portions pro vided' onthe frame members.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where in a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of a window;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a frame and window structure made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a frame joining strip;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the view shown in- Figure 2;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are other forms of a frame and window structure made in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, involves a frame and window construction, wherein a double window pane 10 is supported within a metal frame 12 and is secured therein preferably by means of sealing strips 14 hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to Figure 2 the frame 12 consists of two portions 16 and 18 disposed side by side in spaced relation. The frame portions have inwardly directed continuous projections 20 and 22 to which glass panes 24 and 26 respectively may be attached by means of sealing strips 28 and 30 respectively. These sealing strips may be of the well known type disclosed in the Eichner Patent No.

Patented Aug. 11, 19,59

2,189,138, the function. of which is:well known andwhichin itself forms no 'part ofthe presentfinvention. D The frame portions 16'and are each provided-with facingpartialliy closed opposed channel grooves 3 2- and 34. The grooves arepartiallyclosedpreferably-by means of inwardly directed portions or flanges 36"disposed'at the;

top of the channel walls. A joining strip"38'"having en larged portions40 and 42.anda connecting or web*por-' tion 44 is .disposedbetween the frame members-so-tl1at1 42. The enlarged portions 40,and"42"arepreferablvoff a configuration whereby they willsubstantially fillthe" partially closed channel portions 32 'and34. The enlarged portions 40 and 42.'and the partially closed channels 32. and 34 are further of a configuration whichwill. permit: the inwardly directed=projections 36 and of the channels to securely retain the enlarged portions ofstrip-liiiwithin the channels and thereby firmly join frame members 16 and 18 and provide a support for holdingthe frame mem bers in predetermined spaced. relations. To this end the strip 38 is preferably made I-shaped'andl the partially" closedchannel 32 .and 34 are shaped to snugly receive these enlarged ends of the strip 'to engage the flange portions 36 of the channels whereby lateralimovement ,of the frames is effectively prevented.

The dimensionsof strip 38 are made slightly smaller than.the channel s-paces in Whichthe striptis inserted 'sothat the strip may be readily inserted in place with or. without lubrication and thereby facilitate assembly of the frame and panes. As may readily be understood "a slight. misalignment of the enlarged portions. of the strip with respect to each other within the frame channel-pop tions is effective in,wedging the enlarged portions of the strip within the channel spaces so as to effectively, hold the frame members in a predetermined spacedrelation. The web or connecting portion 44 of strip 38 is madeof a cross sectional thickness .and length so that in usethe weo '44doesnot tend to buckle or otherwise distort. To secure optimum web dimension for a given frame and window assembly it may readily be seen that the positioning of the channels with respect to the position of the window panes, and the depth of the channels, may be correspondingly adjusted.

Referring to Figure 4 the projecting members 46 and 48 may be joined to a wall panel by means of a sealing strip of the type shown in Figure 6 (57) and is fully disclosed in copending application S.N. 494,858, now Patent No. 2,878,535, issued March 24, 1959, assigned to the assignee of the present invention whereby the frame members 46 and 48 are constantly urged together in an install position, or by any suitable construction method. The base of the frame assembly, regardless of the method employed in securing it to a wall, will rest on a relatively rigid member so that after installation it is not necessary for the frame joining strip 38 to support the frame members 16 and 18 against vertical misalignment after the installation of the frame assembly in a wall.

As shown in Figure 5 the sealing strips 50 and 52 may be advantageously made of a hexagonal configuration and of sufiicient thickness so that the fiat surfaces 54 and 56 facing each are adjacent each other and provide an additional support for maintaining the frame members 16 and 18 and the glass panes in a desired spaced relation. This construction is particularly desirable where sealing strips of the type shown in Figure 6 are used to secure the frame construction to a wall wherein the sealing strip exerts considerably inwardly directed force on the frame members 46 and 48.

Figure 6 shows a sealing strip which may be used to secure to the frame member conventional double pane windows which consist of a pair of panes 54 and 56 held in spaced relation by a metallic strip 58 bonded to the panes. This sealing strip is fully disclosed in the copending application S.N. 494,858 mentioned above.

Figure 7 shows another modification embodying the present invention wherein the glass panes 59 and 60 are supported within a single sealing strip 62. One of the frame members 64 is provided with an inwardly directed flange or projection 68 along the inner sides thereof. The projection 68 preferably is provided with a headlike portion 70 along the top thereof, which is inserted in a corresponding groove in the base of the seal 62 to lock the seal to frame member. In assembling the frame and window, frame portions 64 and 66 are first aligned and the joining strip 38 is inserted in place thereby joining the frame members. Thereafter the sealing strip 62 is attached to the frame by inserting projection 68 in the corresponding groove in the base of the sealing strip. Finally the window panes are inserted in place as is well known in the art whereby the compressive forces within the sealing strip crowd the rubber thereof into sealing engagement with the panes and frame members and effect a lock between projection 68 and the seal strip 62.

The joining strip 38 may be molded or extruded preferably from any of the well known elastomeric materials such as natural rubber, butadiene-styrene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, polychloroprene suitable mixtures of these materials and other synthetic materials of a similar character. The essential requirements of suitable joining strip material are that it have good heat insulating properties, that a joining member made up from the material may be readily inserted between the frame members and into the attaching means employed, and that it have adequate strength and stability to maintain the frame members in a predetermined spaced relation during and after the installation of the frame members.

When lubrication is used to facilitate entry of the strip 38 into the frame members any of the well known lubricants such as soap or soap water may be used advantageously.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is as follows:

A window construction, comprising first and second frame members, two spaced substantially parallel 'window panes supported by said frame members, each of said frame members having portions providing partially closed channel grooves, said channels being positioned with the open grooves facing each other so that a plane extending therebetween is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the window panes, a single elastomeric insulator between said frame members securing them in a substantially fixed spaced relationship to provide an insulating airspace therebetween, said elastomeric insulator having a cross section of substantially I shape with enlarged end portions and a central web portion, said end portions being respectively adapted to be securely retained Within the channel grooves of each of said frame members and said web portion being integral with said end portions and maintaining said frame members in fixed spaced relationship, a projection on one of said frame members, and an elastomeric insulator means between the said frame members and the said parallel Window panes removably securing the panes in spaced relationship to the said projection, so that the panes are removable without dismantling the frame members and the I-shaped insulator, said elastomeric insulator means having portions on at least two sides of said projection for securely clamping the insulator means to the projection and having a portion extending between and engaging the said frame members to aid the I-shaped insulator in maintaining the frame members in spaced relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 641,838 Cavanagh Jan. 23, 1900 2,266,464 Kraft Dec. 16, 1941 2,411,902 Skelly Dec. 3, 1946 2,507,965 Eichner May 16, 1950 2,599,811 Clerk June 10, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 532,152 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1941 506,914 Canada Nov. 2, 1954 

